One of the most revered saints of the Russian Orthodox Church, the holy Venerable Seraphim of Sarov did not leave behind his own written works. But, fortunately, his spiritually nourished contemporaries, for example, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Motovilov, with whom the elder had long conversations, diligently and carefully transferred all the saint’s speeches to paper.
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It is thanks to these records that we know that Seraphim of Sarov was not only a miracle worker and healer, but also a great seer. His predictions concerned mainly Russia, and many of them came true after the death of the saint.
Predictions that came true
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Seraphim of Sarov died in 1833 at the age of 78. Before his death, he predicted that 50 years after his death there would be assassinations and riots against the king. During the specified period, indeed, 6 attempts were made on the life of Alexander II. And in 1881, during the sixth attempt, the sovereign was mortally wounded. The death of the Tsar-Liberator showed that the reactionary forces that led the rebels in Russia from abroad were targeting the foundations of the state. This meant that they were targeting Orthodoxy. After all, it was in Russia that the tsar was considered God’s anointed, God’s representative on Earth. And these events were accurately predicted by St. Seraphim of Sarov.
The elder especially accurately described the events of 1917, when opponents of Orthodoxy would come to power and destroy the clergy, noble dynasties and destroy churches. The Monk Seraphim believed that these events would be prepared for a long time and at the moment when the country weakened due to a difficult war, the overthrow of the government would occur. Rivers of blood will flow across Russia, famine and devastation await it.
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Everything that was said absolutely came true.
But Seraphim also predicted the flourishing of the state on the former territory of Russia, the unification of peoples, and a peaceful and happy life. But this world did not last very long.
The prediction about the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior looks especially wonderful. The fact is that during the life of Seraphim of Sarov this temple was not even built or designed. But the seer said that an even more beautiful one would be built on the site of the destroyed temple, a bell would be raised to its bell tower, and many people would gather. And the sound of the bell will spread very widely, but there will be no joy on people’s faces, they will be worried about the future of the country and the Russian state. It’s not surprising that there is no joy; what joy could there be in the 90s?
But how accurately St. Seraphim of Sarov described even the feelings of people, and not just events!
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And the events of 1991 were also possibly described by N.A. Motovilov from the words of the seer. He predicted the collapse of the empire, before which all countries trembled. Crises and bad events will occur in it. But this process will end with the victory of God and the king. Most likely, this means the collapse of the USSR, perestroika, redistribution of property and the strengthening of the influence of the Church. Temples are being restored and more people are visiting them. The attitude towards the royal dynasty is changing.
Seraphim of Sarov predicted the canonization of the family of the innocently murdered Emperor Nicholas II during his lifetime. He said that the emperor who glorifies him, Seraphim, will then be glorified by the Lord. And so it happened, Nicholas II in 1903 glorified Seraphim as a saint. But the greatest proof of the saint’s gift of foresight was that in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, restored according to the elder’s prediction, Nicholas II and his entire family were canonized in 2000.
Personality of Seraphim of Sarov
Seraphim of Sarov, hieromonk of the Sarov Monastery, founder and patron of the Diveyevo convent, lived 78 years. The life and work of the famous saint occurred in the second half of the 18th and first third of the 19th centuries. At the beginning of the 20th century, on the initiative of Tsar Nicholas II, he was canonized as a saint (a saint among monks).
Seraphim of Sarov is one of the most revered monks in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the age of 32, after becoming a monk, Seraphim began to lead a solitary and ascetic life in remote places. He took upon himself the monastic feat of silence and adhered to it for several years. He went into seclusion for 15 years.
After the end of the retreat, he began to receive numerous visitors. At this time, the fame of his gift of clairvoyance and healing from illnesses spread widely. The people's veneration of the priest, which began during his lifetime, only strengthened and multiplied after his death. The pinnacle of veneration was canonization at the beginning of the 20th century with the active participation of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II.
The main source of information about Elder Seraphim and his prophecies is hagiographies, which were published and supplemented several times after the death of the saint. A lot of data about predictions has come to us thanks to the memories of contemporaries.
Seraphim of Sarov expressed his predictions in the language of an Orthodox, churchly, deeply religious person. The saint's prophecies are closely woven into biblical stories. Meanings are inextricably linked with faith, the Lord and the church. The monk expressed his thoughts in the language of his era - a time of strong imperial power, veneration of the Orthodox Tsar and the Orthodox state.
In his predictions, Seraphim touched on the following aspects:
- information about the king and his fate;
- difficult times for Russia - riots, unrest, fratricidal wars;
- serious trials for Orthodoxy;
- impending world wars;
- the revival of Holy Rus' and the place of Russia in the new world.
Seraphim of Sarov said about himself that he was supposed to live more than a hundred years, but, because wickedness would begin to prevail in the world:
The elder foresaw the significance of his image for Orthodox people. By resurrection he meant canonization. Perpetuating the places where the monk worked will allow the “resurrected” Seraphim to convey his word to people hundreds of years after his death.
Predictions that must come true
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Biographers of the saint, including Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), Metropolitan Seraphim Chichagov, writer S.A. Nilus, be careful about predicting the future. They believe that most of these predictions are not so much the speeches of the elder himself, but rather the conjectures and reasonings of N.A. Motovilov. But, guided by the fact that part of what has been said is still coming true, let us present the most famous prophecies from N.A.’s notes. Motovilov.
It is believed that Seraphim of Sarov gave Russia a period of 15 years after the collapse of the empire for people to come to repentance and return to the fold of the church, otherwise Russia would face even more severe trials. It is not specified which empire we are talking about.
A prophecy that all Slavic peoples will unite and the country’s territory will expand in the most unprecedented way is considered a favorable forecast for Russia. Russia will include part of Turkey, including Constantinople and Jerusalem! This united Slavic state will become the most prosperous, and the rest of the world will face a devastating war.
But this will only happen if the Orthodox faith remains pure in Russia, then the country will go through all the trials with glory.
What did the saint say about the last times?
Quite a long time for the predictions of St. Seraphim about the end of the world was accepted by Motovilov’s own reasoning, contained in his notes.
From the surviving words of the saint, at least, it is known that he was reluctant to conduct such conversations. Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) cites the case of a monk who asked the saint whether the end of the world was already coming. The elder answered:
"My joy! You think a lot about the poor Seraphim. Do I know when this world will end and the great day will come on which the Lord will judge the living and the dead and reward everyone according to his deeds? No, it’s impossible for me to know.”
The fate of Christians in recent times, the saint said, would be unenviable, for they would experience the most terrible thing - abandonment by God, similar to what the Son of God felt on the Cross. However, there is no need to despair completely: this will happen only for a short time before the very Coming of Christ.
About the Antichrist
The well-known prophecy about the birth of the Antichrist in Russia “in a city called Moscow-Petrograd,” according to historians, has no relation to the saint. The reasoning belongs to N.A. Motovilov.
The predictions about the coming of the Antichrist, which can be considered the true words of the saint, do not apply to all of Russia, but to the elder’s beloved Diveyevo monastery.
St. Seraphim of Sarov against the backdrop of the Diveyevo monastery
For example, there are famous words spoken more than once to nuns: “You will not live to see the Antichrist, but you will survive the times of the Antichrist.” This can be understood as a prediction of the coming time of persecution, which completely came true after the revolution of 1917. At the same time, these “anti-Christ times” are not the actual end of the world. We can say that the monk understands “Antichrist” in the same sense as, for example, the apostle. John the Theologian, who so calls everyone who resists the Lord (1 John 2:18).
Turning to the last times, already preceding the end of the world, St. Seraphim speaks of the expansion of the monastery, its prosperity, but for a very short time. Then all Christians will face such persecution that “The angels will barely have time to take souls.” Finally, the Antichrist himself will come, but he will not be able to enter the monastery, for “The ditch will be your wall to heaven.” We are talking about the Holy Canal around the monastery, dug by order of the saint and called by him “the piles of the Queen of Heaven.” The meaning of this prophecy is currently unclear.
The rest of the world will be under the rule of the Antichrist
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According to the widely circulated predictions of Seraphim of Sarov, the entire world outside Russia will be under the rule of the Antichrist. But this will become possible when the population of Russia reaches 180 million people. Where this figure came from is not entirely known. It is worth noting that in recent years, due to well-known events, the population of Russia has been rapidly declining. Thus, we will have to wait, fortunately, for a long time for the coming of the Antichrist.
What in the prophecy of Elder Seraphim of Sarov concerns the future of Russia
According to the saint, his spirit was once given from above to see the Russian lands in the future. It was covered in smoke, similar to incense, and he realized that many saints, revealed and unmanifest, were praying. For the reverend elder, people with firm faith have always been a guarantee that the Lord will forgive Russia all its sins, no matter what they may be.
The holy elder speaks no less confidently about another, directly opposite prediction. It talks about the possible apostasy of Russians from the faith, and if this happens, the Lord will not have mercy on Rus'. He revealed to Sarovsky the time of these events. Then almost everyone will become apostates - from simpletons to many bishops and priests.
Having learned about this, Saint Seraphim of Sarov fell on his knees before God and for three days prayed and asked the Lord to avert such a test from the Russian people. According to legend, the Almighty refused the elder’s request.
Instructions
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St. Seraphim left us a rich legacy - his instructions, which can be useful at every moment of life, giving the right direction to the thoughts and actions of an Orthodox Christian if any spiritual or worldly difficulties suddenly arise in his life.
The monk himself did not write on paper, but his contemporaries, who had the opportunity to communicate with him, carefully wrote down his sermons, conversations and instructions. As a result, after the death of Seraphim of Sarov, in 1837 his biography was compiled, with the Instructions as an appendix.
The first edition of 1939 included 33 instructions, then they were expanded and supplemented, now their number is 43.
Whatever problem torments a person - about life and death, about love and hate, about work and about rest - all questions will be answered in the works of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
What did his biographer N.A. write about the prophecy of Elder Seraphim of Sarov? Motovilov
According to the Russian landowner and interlocutor of the holy elder, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Motovilov, Father Seraphim once said that before the Antichrist was born, the time would come for a great and long war and a terrible revolution within the country. The tragedy of the events will exceed anything imaginable. What happened during previous riots and revolutions will seem like nothing compared to what is happening in the country.
The end of life awaits many people who are truly faithful to their Fatherland, church property will be plundered, monasteries will be ruined, rich and worthy citizens will be destroyed and plundered. So the Lord, through great suffering, will have mercy on Russia and return it to great glory.
In the prediction of large-scale catastrophes by the holy elder, not only Russia appears with the large-scale catastrophes awaiting it. The rest of the world is expecting something similar, according to Sarovsky. But Saint Seraphim did not leave his descendants without hope. The Slavs should only unite, and only in this case, according to the elder, will the tragedy predicted for humanity in the 21st century be avoided.
Many theorists consider the prophecies of St. Seraphim to be a very obvious indication that the spirituality of Russia will collapse, then battles will follow, and then there will be hope that Russia will again become a spiritual power.
Subject:
- Predictions
